Mercedes-Benz M272 platform M272 — 3.5L V6 24V DOHC VVT (variable valve timing both banks) Engine
3.5L V6 24V DOHC VVT (variable valve timing both banks) · 170-272 hp · 240-350 Nm
The M272 is Mercedes-Benz's V6 petrol with 24 valves, twin cams per bank and variable valve timing on both banks, built 2004-2011 in sizes up to 3.5 litres and outputs from 170 to 272 hp. It was used across the C, E, S, SLK, CLK, CLS, ML, GL and R-Class ranges. The defining fault on early engines is wear of the balance shaft sprocket, which leads to cam-crank correlation codes and, if left, timing failure; the oil pump drive sprocket is linked to it. Other visits are sludged VVT solenoids, swirl flap actuator failure, stripped spark plug threads and weeping coolant crossover pipe O-rings. Torque figures cover the cylinder head, crank pulley, camshaft adjusters, spark plugs, main bearing caps and balance shaft module, with factory specifications.
On cam-crank correlation codes, check the engine build date and inspect the balance shaft sprocket before assuming solenoids, since early engines carry the weak gear. Live data on all four cams helps separate a blocked solenoid screen from adjuster wear; clean the screen and retest first. Coolant loss without a puddle calls for a pressure test and dye check under the intake manifold before head gaskets are discussed.
Check first
- Engine build date from the block stamp; early engines carry the original gear design.
- Cam actual against target position; drift beyond about 2 degrees needs attention.
- Coolant crossover pipe under the intake plenum, pressure-tested to 1.4 bar.
- Swirl flap blades by borescope when P2004 or P2006 is logged.
- Full timing set fitted whenever the balance shaft gears are replaced.
- Oil to MB 229.5, changed every 10000 km.
Engine overview
Manufacturer
Mercedes-Benz M272 platform
Displacement
3.5 L
Configuration
V6 24V DOHC VVT (variable valve timing both banks)
Power
170-272 hp
Torque
240-350 Nm
Production years
2004-2011
Fuel type
Petrol
Vehicles with this engine
C230 W203/W204
C280 W203/W204
C350 W203/W204
E280 W211
E300 W211
E350 W211
S350 W221
SLK280 R171
SLK350 R171
ML280 W164
ML350 W164
GL350 X164
R350 W251
CLK280 A209
CLK350 A209
CLS350 W219
Known failures & weak points
Balance shaft gear wear (PRIMARY FAILURE): the plastic-coated balance shaft sprocket and idler gear degrade from around 80,000 km on early-production engines (roughly pre-2007/2008 build). Symptoms: rough idle, timing rattles, P0016/P0017/P0018/P0019 cam-crank correlation codes, and catastrophic timing failure if ignored. Fix requires the revised balance shaft assembly, timing chain set, and oil pump sprocket inspection. Confirm affected status by physical inspection, not build date alone.
Camshaft adjuster (VVT solenoid) sludging at 100,000–150,000 km: Oil sludge blocks the variable valve timing solenoid screens on both banks (4 solenoids total). Symptoms: P0010/P0011/P0012/P0013/P0014 codes, rough idle, loss of power, increased fuel consumption. Root cause is extended oil change intervals or use of non-approved oil spec. Fix: replace all 4 VVT solenoids (MB A2720510177 / A2720510277), clean oil galleries, flush engine. Always replace oil simultaneously with MB 229.5 spec oil.
Oil pump drive sprocket failure at 80,000–120,000 km: The plastic-toothed oil pump drive sprocket (on the balance shaft module) strips or cracks, causing sudden oil pressure loss. Symptoms: oil pressure warning light, engine knock, potential catastrophic bearing failure within minutes. This is directly linked to the balance shaft gear failure campaign. Fix: replace oil pump sprocket as part of balance shaft kit — never replace balance shaft gears alone without inspecting oil pump sprocket. Cost included in balance shaft repair above.
Intake manifold swirl flap actuator failure at 120,000–180,000 km: The plastic swirl flap actuator motor (on the variable intake manifold) seizes or strips. Symptoms: P2004/P2006 codes, slight power loss at low RPM, intake rattle on deceleration. Flap blades can break off and enter cylinders causing catastrophic damage. Inspect blades visually via borescope.
Spark plug thread stripping in aluminum head at 80,000–160,000 km: M272 uses aluminum cylinder heads with relatively shallow plug threads. Over-torqued or seized plugs pull threads on removal. Symptoms: misfire codes P030x, compression loss at affected cylinder. Fix: Helicoil or Time-Sert M14x1.25 insert required; Time-Sert preferred for longevity. Always use anti-seize on plug threads and torque to exactly 25 Nm.
Coolant crossover pipe O-ring failure at 100,000–150,000 km: The plastic coolant distribution pipe running under the intake manifold develops weeping leaks at O-ring joints. Symptoms: coolant loss without visible external leak, sweet smell from engine bay, occasional overheating. Fix requires intake manifold removal to access pipe; Often misdiagnosed as head gasket.
Crankshaft position sensor failure at 120,000–200,000 km: The CKP sensor (mounted on bell housing) fails due to heat soak and vibration. Symptoms: intermittent no-start, stalling at operating temperature, P0335/P0336 codes. Sensor location makes replacement awkward (gearbox bell housing area). Always replace with OEM Bosch unit — aftermarket sensors cause intermittent faults.
Secondary air injection pump failure at 80,000–130,000 km: The AIR pump seizes or the check valves fail, causing P0410/P0411 codes and failed emissions tests. Root cause: moisture ingestion corrodes pump internals. Symptoms: MIL on cold start, rattling from pump on cold start. Disabling AIR system causes persistent MIL and emissions failure — do not simply delete codes.
Common torque specifications
| Crank Pulley Bolt | 150 Nm + 90° angle (TTY — replace bolt on removal, MB A0009900172) unconfirmed |
|---|---|
| Camshaft Adjuster Bolt | 100 Nm (per bank, both intake and exhaust cam adjusters — use new bolts, thread-lock not required if new bolt used) unconfirmed |
| Spark Plugs | 25 Nm — use calibrated torque wrench only, no impact gun; apply small amount of copper anti-seize to threads unconfirmed |
| Main Bearing Caps | Stage 1: 20 Nm; Stage 2: 90° angle — TTY, replace bolts on removal unconfirmed |
| Balance Shaft Module Bolts | 10 Nm (M6 fasteners securing module to block — do not overtorque, aluminum threads) unconfirmed |
Figures marked unconfirmed could not be cross-checked against a workshop source. Verify against the vehicle’s own documentation before tightening.
Factory specifications
Values from the manufacturer documentation for this engine.
Engine (general)
| Engine code | 272.964 |
| Capacity | 3498 cc |
| Normal | 12.0 - 15.0 bar |
| Minimum | 10.0 bar |
| Differential limit between cylinders | 1.5 bar |
| Oil pressure | > 0.7 / 700 > 3.0 / 3000 bar/rpm |
| Engine code | 272.943 |
| Capacity | 2996 cc |
| Differential limit between cylinders | < 1.5 bar |
Engine (petrol)
| Fuel system (make and type) | Bosch Motronic ME 9.7 |
| Number of cylinders | 6 |
| Firing order | 1-4-3-6-2-5 |
| Lambda | 0.97 – 1.03 |
| CO at fast-idle speed | < 0.3 % |
| Spark plug gap | 0.8 mm |
Cooling system
| Cap pressure | 1.4 ± 1.0 bar |
| Thermostat opens at | 65 °C |
| Thermostat fully open at | 100 °C |
| Cap pressure | 1.4 ± 0.1 bar |
Electrical
| Alternator | 180 A |
Capacities
| Engine sump, incl. filter | 8.0 l |
| Automatic transmission | 722.906 |
| Initial filling | 9.0 l |
| Differential | 1.0 l |
| Differential | 1.1 l |
| Differential | 1.6 l |
| Differential | 1.2 l |
| Cooling system | 6.5 l |
| Air-conditioner refrigerant | 950 g |
| Air-conditioner compressor oil | 120 ml |
Torque settings
| Cylinder head bolts — Stage 1 | 20 Nm |
| Cylinder head bolts — Stage 2 | 40 Nm |
| Cylinder head bolts — Stage 3 | 40 Nm |
| Cylinder head bolts — Stage 4 | 90 ° |
| Cylinder head bolts — Stage 5 | 90 ° |
| Cylinder head bolts — Stage 1 | 25 Nm |
| Spark plugs | 23 Nm |
| Oxygen sensor | 50 Nm |
| Side bolt of main bearing cap | 30 Nm |
| Oil plug | 30 Nm |
| Wheel nuts | 130 Nm |
| Rear hub | 320 Nm |
Emissions
| Emission code | 70/220*2003/76B |
| Emission standard | Euro 4 |
| CO2 average | 241 - 253 g/km |
| CO | 0.140 g/km |
| HC | 0.023 g/km |
| NOx | 0.020 g/km |
Workshop procedures for this engine
Step-by-step procedures from the workshop database.
- W204 petrol 711.6 gearbox
- W204 petrol 716.6 gearbox
- W211 (E) incl DPF (01/09/2003 ->)
- W204 711.6 / 716.6 clutch
- W639 711.6 gearbox
- W204 C, X204 GLK 12-butt steering wheel
- W204 C, X204 GLK 12-butt steering wheel (Late model)
- W906 Sprinter II multifuntion steering wheel
- W204 C, X204 GLK 4-butt steering wheel
- Mercedes-Benz 272.9 W203, W209, W171 timing chain replacement
- Mercedes-Benz 272.911 cylinder head removal & torque
- M272 (272.982)/84 in W204,W207
- M272 (272.9) in W211
- M272 (272.985) in W211,W219
- Mercedes-Benz 272.9 W219 272.943 timing chain replacement
- M272 (272.983) in W212
- M272 (272.9) in W251
- M272 (272.9) in W164
- Mercedes-Benz 272.9 W230 cylinder head removal & torque
- Mercedes-Benz 272.9 W906 3.5 272.979 timing chain replacement
- M272 (272.9) in W221
- M272 (272.9) in W639
- W221 Wheel alignment 4MATIC and/or engine 651
Service intervals
| Timing Chain | Lifetime design (no scheduled replacement), but inspect at balance shaft service; replace chain set if balance shaft gears are being replaced — chain stretch confirmed by cam-crank correlation codes or >2° deviation on live data |
|---|---|
| Oil Change Km | 10000 |
| Oil Spec | 5W-40 or 5W-30 MB 229.5 (ACEA A3/B4 minimum); MB 229.51 acceptable for 5W-30 low-SAPS variants — do NOT use 229.3 long-life spec on high-mileage M272 with VVT issues |
| Oil Capacity L | 7.5 |
| Coolant Spec | MB Genuine Coolant Q1 03 0002 (ethylene glycol, silicate-free OAT, blue/violet) — mix 50:50 with distilled water; do NOT mix with green silicate-based coolant |
Pro tips from the field
Before any M272 purchase or repair, decode the engine build date from the block stamp (cast into block near oil filter housing). Engines built before approximately mid-2007 (serial prefix 272.9xx with build date stamp pre-07/2007) have the original defective balance shaft gear design. Post-2007 engines received the revised hardened steel gear set from factory. If buying a pre-2007 vehicle, budget for balance shaft repair immediately regardless of symptoms — it is a when-not-if failure.
When performing balance shaft gear replacement, do NOT reuse the timing chain even if it looks serviceable. The chain stretch that occurs during gear wear is often not visible to the naked eye but will cause cam-crank correlation codes within 20,000 km of the repair. Always fit a complete timing set (chain, guides, tensioners) simultaneously.
Live data VVT diagnosis: monitor camshaft actual vs. target position on all four cams at idle and 2,000 RPM. A healthy M272 holds within about ±2° of target; larger drift indicates solenoid blockage or adjuster wear. Clean and retest the solenoid screen before condemning the adjuster unit — many VVT faults are solenoid screens, not the adjuster itself.
The coolant crossover pipe leak is the most commonly misdiagnosed fault on this engine. Before condemning head gaskets, pressure-test the cooling system to 1.4 bar, remove the engine cover, and inspect the underside of the intake manifold area with a UV dye kit. The crossover pipe runs directly beneath the intake plenum and weeps coolant that evaporates before reaching the ground.
Oil specification is critical and non-negotiable on this engine. The balance shaft module oil feed is a small-diameter drilling that is extremely sensitive to oil viscosity and sludge. Using 229.3 long-life spec (approved for extended 30,000 km intervals on other MB engines) has been directly correlated with accelerated balance shaft and VVT solenoid failure on the M272. Always use 229.5 spec and cap oil change intervals at 10,000 km regardless of the service indicator — the ASSYST system's calculated intervals are too aggressive for this engine family.
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The story behind TorqFix →Workshop data on this page last updated 22 Aug 2026.